[jcx]

a later edition of Doug Self's Audio Power Amplifier Design Handbook  (now 6th I believe) is a good companion to Cordell's book - but both really assume more than basic circuit knowledge and are aimed at teaching how to design audio amps, not necessarily cookbook building
 
a start is building a "Project" amp - something well documented, sometimes with available kits of pcb and parts
 
our own diy subforum http://www.head-fi.org/f/6/diy-do-it-yourself-discussions has a few, http://www.head-fi.org/a/diy-beginners-guide
 
http://headwize.com/?page_id=5 site was the home of a lot of headphone projects - the forum part is inactive but you can see the articles and projects
 
http://sound.westhost.com/projects-0.htm#hdp is more introductory level than the above books - sometimes Rod says cringe worthy things in his overenthusiasm for debunking - but on a whole is OK

 

[jsiegel14072]

  Hmm since reading jason's book, ive started to become very interested in amplifier design and would like to at least build one and be able to understand schematics.

Considering that a person is a complete electrical engineering idiot, not knowledge of resistors etc whatsoever, what would be a good first step other than cordell's book. 

In the "Good Old Days" you would have bought a few tools and got your self a "HeathKit" and gone to work.  those that survived the first few products (multimeter, etc) moved on to oscilloscopes and tube amplifiers where the real fun began. I second the motion to look for an adult class (if there is one in your area, it is more fun to bang your head in to the wall, when others are doing it too).  if you can't find one, look for local HAM clubs.  also signup at DIYAudio.com. 
 
As soon as you figure out which end of the soldering iron to pick up, you are on your way!
 
Of course prepare for blindness, if you start playing with surface mount chips!
 
Like Golf, Hobbies are designed to absorb time and Money, always hoping to reach the next level!

 

[kapanak]

 
In the "Good Old Days" you would have bought a few tools and got your self a "HeathKit" and gone to work.  those that survived the first few products (multimeter, etc) moved on to oscilloscopes and tube amplifiers where the real fun began. I second the motion to look for an adult class (if there is one in your area, it is more fun to bang your head in to the wall, when others are doing it too).  if you can't find one, look for local HAM clubs.  also signup at DIYAudio.com. 
 
As soon as you figure out which end of the soldering iron to pick up, you are on your way!
 
Of course prepare for blindness, if you start playing with surface mount chips!
 
Like Golf, Hobbies are designed to absorb time and Money, always hoping to reach the next level!

 
Also be aware that the voltages you deal with in tube amplifiers can ACTUALLY KILL YOU. So, be careful where you go, and tread wisely.

 

[Ableza]

Hobbies are designed to absorb time and Money, always hoping to reach the next level!

True that. 

 

[mordante]

When will the Schiit Lethe be released?
 
Schiit Lethe, the new streamer by Schiit Audio.
 
The new and affordable stream by Schiit Audio. For only €899 you get a steamer that support hi-res PCM and DSD128. The Lethe can be operated by any Android or Apple tablet, just install the free app. The Lethe can be connected to your network using any CAT5, CAT5 or CAT 6 UTP cable. For an extra €130 you can buy separate a WiFi card or for €999 you can buy the Lethe with WiFi card pre-installed.
 
The Lethe has 3 digital outputs optical SPdif, AES/ebu and USB. Furthermore the Lethe has two femto clocks to ensure extremely low jitter on the USB output. more techno bable follows.
 
The Schiit Lethe, once you heard you will forget about all other streamers.
 

In Greek mythology, Lethe /ˈliːθi/ (Greek: Λήθη, Lḗthē; Ancient Greek: [lɛ́:tʰɛː], Modern Greek: [ˈliθi]) was one of the five rivers of Hades. Also known as the Ameles potamos (river of unmindfulness), the Lethe flowed around the cave of Hypnos and through the Underworld, where all those who drank from it experienced complete forgetfulness. Lethe was also the name of the Greek spirit of forgetfulness and oblivion, with whom the river was often identified.

 

[pyfgcrl]

  Schiit Lethe, the new streamer by Schiit Audio.
 
The new and affordable stream by Schiit Audio. For only €899 you get a steamer that support hi-res PCM and DSD128. The Lethe can be operated by any Android or Apple tablet, just install the free app. The Lethe can be connected to your network using any CAT5, CAT5 or CAT 6 UTP cable. For an extra €130 you can buy separate a WiFi card or for €999 you can buy the Lethe with WiFi card pre-installed.
 
The Lethe has 3 digital outputs optical SPdif, AES/ebu and USB. Furthermore the Lethe has two femto clocks to ensure extremely low jitter on the USB output. more techno bable follows.
 
The Schiit Lethe, once you heard you will forget about all other streamers.
 

In Greek mythology, Lethe /ˈliːθi/ (Greek: Λήθη, Lḗthē; Ancient Greek: [lɛ́:tʰɛː], Modern Greek: [ˈliθi]) was one of the five rivers of Hades. Also known as the Ameles potamos (river of unmindfulness), the Lethe flowed around the cave of Hypnos and through the Underworld, where all those who drank from it experienced complete forgetfulness. Lethe was also the name of the Greek spirit of forgetfulness and oblivion, with whom the river was often identified.

Source?

 

[GearMe]

In the "Good Old Days" you would have bought a few tools and got your self a "HeathKit"...

Ha! Made me think of the Hafler products i built when i was young. Did it to save $$$, but had fun and they sounded great when they were finished.

 

[cjl]

 
Source?

Pretty sure he just made that up, given Schiit's stated views on DSD...

 

[pyfgcrl]

 
Pretty sure he just made that up, given Schiit's stated views on DSD...

Yeah, now that's believable.  I was going to call shenanigans.

 

[Argo Duck]

Schiit's - Jason's and Mike's - humor is imititated often in these threads. Sometimes leads to confusion

 

[mordante]

 
Source?

 
 

 
Pretty sure he just made that up, given Schiit's stated views on DSD...

 
 

 
Yeah, now that's believable.  I was going to call shenanigans.

 
 

Schiit's - Jason's and Mike's - humor is imititated often in these threads. Sometimes leads to confusion

 
Yes I made i up myself, sorry

 
But I would like like it if Schiit would introduce a Schiit streamer. Since I don't need WiFi I made it an optional board, just like the the optional USB boards. It seemed to fit Schiit policy.
 
I have been looking to upgrade my digital source. My first thought would be to replace my DAC. But last weekend I heard a Lumin D1 and the D1 sounds just fine. So why not a Streamer made by Schiit?
 
My only concern is should a Schiit streamer have a build in DAC (Gungnir maybe) or should the stream be digital only?

 

[Koolpep]

Dac is not a source and streaming is always digital.

Cheers,
Ralf

 

[mordante]

Dac is not a source and streaming is always digital.

Cheers,
Ralf

A DAC is a source. Any box that supplies the (pre) amp with a signal is a scource. Or would you say the NAS is a source?
 
There are many streamers with analogue outputs, Linn, Naim, Lumin, etc

 

[Koolpep]

 
A DAC is a source. Any box that supplies the (pre) amp with a signal is a scource. Or would you say the NAS is a source?
 
There are many streamers with analogue outputs, Linn, Naim, Lumin, etc

 
Ok, I stand corrected. You certainly could call it a source. Language issues on my side, apologies!
 
Cheers,
K
Edit: Stream though is always digital and requires a DAC on the receiving end.

 

[judmarc]

I'm supposing in the "Guess Our Next Product!" hobby portion of the thread, a Class D (or hybrid A-D) DAC-preamp-amp has already been guessed and discarded?